Monday, June 14, 2010

June 14, 2010

Hello Everyone!! Well.... I can`t believe it is Tuesday again!! This has really felt like one of the longest weeks. I`m not sure exactly why, but it has. But this last Thursday, Friday and Saturday we had almost no appointments, and the ones we did have fell through. So those days were filled with streeting, talking to people, housing, and whatever else we could do. And to add to it, it was really hot! Like humid and temperature hot. Not like Utah. And it is only going to get hotter and more humid here.  Oh boy. But this week was way hard, but was good! On Sunday after church we had a potluck lunch, and Sakurai Shimai brought her sister to church! And at the potluck Sakurai Shimai (Shimai is Sisiter in japanese) said that her sister wants to be baptized! So after we went over and taught lesson one, and she said she wanted to learn more. Hard thing is, is that she can`t see very well, so reading the Book of Mormon is pretty impossible. But Sakurai Shimai is really going to help her a lot. We are meeting them again this week, and I`m very excited about her. Also in our ward we have this family called the Matsuzawa family. The dad is in the bishopric, and much like the DeVrooms in our ward, after their kids grew up, they adopted some more children. So they have three kids, Juria (Julia) whos 11, Haruki whos 9, and yuki whos 5 or 6. But Juria and Haruki have not been baptized but we`ve been teaching them a little. On Sunday we tried to teach lesson one, but it didn`t go to well. They were losing focus. But we had a dinner with them last night, and yesterday during planning meeting we were trying to figure out what to do. We wanted to teach them lesson two, which is the Plan of Salvation, but we didn`t know how. Elder King thought of playing memory. Making cards with one with the name, and the other with a picture. So we made those, and then taught them the lesson with the pictures. It was way simple, and really good! We were so nervous teaching them because we honestly had no idea if our plan would work. But we showed them the cards, quickly taught the plan, then put all the cards upside down, and played memory. It was way fun. But the daughter Juria said she wants to be baptized, so were thinking of getting a baptismal date with her this week. Then hopefully Haruki will follow. He doesn`t say he wants to be baptized or anything, but he is just 11 years old. We`ll see how Juria does, and hopefully he`ll follow her. They are really close. Juria also has a friend who has been coming to church with her who has been taught a little. She also said she wants to be baptized, but we have never met the parents, or anything, so we`re not sure about her. But if she wants to be baptized, then we`ll of course do whatever is needed! So Missionary life here in Japan is great! I love it here. Maybe I can share a cool thing I found. So I just started reading the Book of Mormon over again, and from the story we all know, God commanded Nephi and his brothers to return to get the plates. Laman and Lemuel complain, and from what Lehi says, it is a hard thing (Lehi) has required of them. But Lehi explains that he did not ask them. The Lord did. And it hit me. As a missionary we don`t do anything. We don`t ask the investigators to be baptizsed. We don`t ask them to do anything. God does. It kind of changed my perspective of how to teach. Because really, missionaries, parents, bishop, whoever it is, they`re not asking us to be faithful. God our Heavenly father is. They may help us to know how to be faithful. Know how to follow commandments. In our missionary purpose there are four main verbs. We as missionaries Help others, and Invite them. The Investigators Come, and Accept. We are only the tool in the Lords hand. We help others to know how to be faithful. I am so grateful for this gospel. I am so grateful for my family, and the Joy this gospel has brought my family. I am grateful for the opportunity to help others learn how to experience this joy. This work is amazing!! Ganbarimasho!!

スチュワート 長老

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